PVT PLT OF C185 ON AMPHIBIOUS FLOATS OPERATED THE ACFT WHEN AN AILERON WAS DAMAGED WITHOUT AN OFFICIAL INSPECTION AND FERRY PERMIT.

Narrative

ACFT; EQUIPPED WITH AMPHIBIOUS FLOATS; WAS ON THE WATER NEAR WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH; NC. WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH IS APPROX 5 MI E OF THE WILMINGTON; NC; ARPT. ACFT GOT CAUGHT IN CURRENT; AND WAS CARRIED INTO PILINGS. PILINGS DAMAGED THE R AILERON; BENDING AN AREA APPROX 8 INCHES IN DIAMETER. RPTR CHKED DAMAGE; AND VERIFIED THAT CTLS OPERATED NORMALLY. RPTR THEN ACCELERATED ON THE WATER TO A SPD OF APPROX 50 KTS; AND ROCKED THE WINGS TO DETERMINE THAT AILERONS WERE EFFECTIVE. THEN; RPTR ACCELERATED OFF THE WATER AND AGAIN TESTED CTLS AT AN ELEVATION OF LESS THAN 10 FT. ALL CTLS FUNCTIONED NORMALLY AT ALL TIMES. ACFT DOES NOT HAVE ROLL TRIM; BUT ACFT FLEW NORMALLY AND DID NOT NEED TRIM. SATISFIED THAT THE DENT IN THE R AILERON DID NOT ADVERSELY AFFECT FLT CHARACTERISTICS; RPTR FLEW ACFT FIRST TO WILMINGTON ARPT; THEN TO RALEIGH DURHAM ARPT. THERE WERE NO PAX ABOARD AT ANY TIME. RPTR BELIEVES THAT ACFT WAS AIRWORTHY; AND IS FILING THE FORM FOR ANY RESEARCH OR STATISTICAL VALUE IT MAY HAVE. SHORTLY AFTER LNDG; THE REPAIR SHOP DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS NO DAMAGE OTHER THAN THE DENT IN THE AILERON AND A BENT PUSH ROD. BOTH ARE IN STOCK; AND REPAIRS WERE COMPLETED JAN/THU/98. AT THE TIME THE ACFT DRIFTED INTO THE PILING; THE ACFT WAS IN SALT WATER AND IT WOULD HAVE BEEN DIFFICULT OR IMPOSSIBLE TO SECURE THE PLANE SAFELY AND MAKE REPAIRS.